Impulse transmitter



Nov. 10, 1925. 1,561,115

J. J. RUDDICK IMPULSE TRANSMITTER Filed Dec. 22, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Nov. 10, 1925 J. J. RUDDICK IniPULSE numsmwsn Filed Dec. 22, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q 1 mm:

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Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

warren PATENT OFFICE.

STREET SIGNAL oonronarrori. NEW YORK.

or EooEEsTEE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF IMPULSE TRANSMITTER.

Application filed December 22, 1920. Serial No. 432,544.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. RUDDICK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Vest Newton, in the county of Middle- 5 sex and State of Massachusetts, have in' vented certain new and useful Improvements in Impulse Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to impulse 1 transmitters of the type in which a transmitting mechanism is operated by a motor controlled by a winding mechanism, an object of this invention being to combine with the transmitting mechanism, a signal which 1 is controlled in such a manner as to indicate the expiration of a definite time after the operation of the impulse transmitting mechanism, this construction being designed for use in a traflic signalling system such as 2 shown in an application filed by me on the th day of December, 1920, Serial No. 430,864 although the invention is not limited to this use.

To this and other ends the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter de scribed, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear end view of the impulse transmitter showing the transmitting mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the transmitter;

Fig. 3 is a front View;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view;

Fig. 5 is' a section on the line 55, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a similar section showing the signalling device in set position; Fig. 7 isa section on the line 7-7, Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a detail View of the detent releasing motor;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9, Fig. 10;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the adjustable means for varying the time of the release of the signal; and 1 Fig. 11 is a detail view of the winding key.

An impulse transmitting mechanism is employed, .th at herein shown. being substantially the same as that illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 of the patent to Gregory Brown No. 1,155,640, granted October 5, 1915 and comprising a pair of contacts 1 and 2 controlled by an impulse wheel 3 which has a stop 4 on its rear face for engagement by a mov-, able stop 5. The impulse wheel is arranged on a shaft 6 which has" a pinion 7 rigidly secured thereto and meshing with a gear ,8 which is connected to the winding shaft 10 of the motor spring 9 through a clutch 11, permitting the winding shaft 10 to turn relatively to the gear 8. This winding shaft 10 has the stop member 5 rigidly secured thereto. A gear 12 isalso rigidly secured to the shaft 6 and meshes with a pinion 13 on a sleeve which also carries a gear 14 and turns on the winding shaft 10. This gear 14 in turn meshes with a pinion 15 on a sleeve turning on the shaft 6, said sleeve also carrying a worm wheel 16 meshing with a worm 17 on a shaft 18, the latter carrying a centrifugal governor 19 which cooperates with the flange or fixed disk 19.

The turning of the winding shaft 10 stores energy in the motor 9 and at the same time moves the stop 5 out of the path of the stop 4 on the impulse wheel 3 so that with the release of the winding shaft 10, the spring motor 9 will turn the impulse wheel through the gears 7 and 8 and the speed of this turning will be controlled by the centrifugal governor 19. A more full explanation of the illustrated impulse transmitting mechanism, as well as the motor operating mechanism therefor, may be obtained from the Brown patent hereinbefore mentioned. The specific construction of these parts are unimportant so far as this invention is concerned, and it will be understood that other impulse transmission mechanisms or other motor mechanisms may be used.

In the traflic signalling system shown in my hereinbefore mentioned application, it is desirable to determine a certaintime after the impulse transmitter has started to operate and to this end there is provided in connection with an'impu'lse transmitting mechanism, a signalling device which will perform this result. In this instance. the

signal device is the form of an indi cator disk 20 pivoted at 21 to one side of the winding shaft and preferably in rear of a face plate 22 which has a window or opening 23 through which the disk may be viewed when in one position. The disk 20 is move-d away from the window 23 when the winding shaft 10 is turned to store energy in the spring 9 and this result, in this instance, isaccomplished by providing an eccentrially arranged lug 24 on a finger piece 25 which is secured to the winding shaft 10 in front of the front plate 22. This lug or projection 24 cooperates with an arm 26 provided on the indicator 20 and shifts the indicator away from the window upon the a piece 25 in the direction to wind the spring 9.

The indicator or signal may be held away from the window 23 by any suitable means as for instance, by a detent 27 which is pivoted at 28 on a plate 29 which also supports the pivot of the indicator 20 and is arrange-d in spaced relation to the front turning of the fin er plate 22'. The detent 27 has a hook or nose 30 adapted to cooperate with a pin or 9:

projection 31 on the signal 20, a spring acting on the detent normally to hold'the latter in a position where it will cooperate with the pin 31, and the nose 30 being so formed that when it is engaged by the pin 31, the detent will be displaced from the path of the projection or pin 31 and will thereafter engage with such pin under the action of the spring.

Associated with the signal is a timing mechanism for causing the resetting of the signal to normal position. This timing mechanism, in this embodiment, comprises a motor spring 33 anchored at one end at 34 and having a shaft 35 secured to theother end. To this shaft a gear 36 is secured, which in turn meshes with a pinion 3'7 rigidly secured to a' gear 38. The latter meshes with a pinion 39 rigidly secured to a gear 40 which in turn meshes with a pinion 41 rigidly secured to a gear The gear 42 meshes with a pinion 43 on a governor shaft 44, the governor, in this instance, being in the form of fan blades 45 011 the shaft 44. The train of gears between the spring shaft 35 and the fan is employed for increasing the speed of rotation of the governor shaft 43 so that a desirable governing action may be obtained.

The motor spring 33 has energy stored therein when the winding shaft 10 is turned to wind the'motor spring 9, and with this purpose in view, the shaft 35 has an a "in 46 thereon which is pivotally connected at 47 to link 48, said link in turn being pivoted at 49 to'a lever 50 which is pivoted at 51 to the plate 29. The lever 50 is so positioned that it may be engaged by the pin 24 on the turning of the finger piece 25, a. clutch connection 52 being interposed. between the shaft 35 and the gear 36 so that the shaft 35 may be turned relatively to the gear 36 in the winding of the motor spring 33 and the unwinding of the spring will. take place under the control of the fan governor The motor mechanism comprising the spring 33 and its cooperating parts is utilized for releasing the signal device 20 from the detent 27 and to this end a detent oper ating device 53 is employed in the form of a double arm lever, one arm of which will engage the detent in the manner indicated in Fig. 5 about the .time the motor spring 33 has run down. The detent operating device 53 is adjustable with reference to the motor mechanism and to this end is frictionally mounted on a sleeve 54 through which the pivot 51 extends. The adjustment of the detent operating means may be effected through a tool introduced in the slot 55 of the other arm of the device 53 to shift said device on the sleeve 541:0 vary the time of engagement between said device and the detent 27. f

It will be apparent that when the winding shaft 10 is turned to wind the motor 9 in order to start the impulse transmitting mechanism, the signalling device 20 will be shifted away from the window 23 through the projection 24, and at the same time energy will be stored in the spring 33 through the engagement of the projection 24 with the lever 50. \Vith the release of the finger piece 25, the transmitting mechanism will operate until the stops 4 and 5 engage and the lever 50 will move under the action of the spring 33. Eventually the detent operating device 53 will engage the detent 27 and cause the latter to release the signal device 20 so that said signal device may return by gravity to its position in front of the. window 23. The release of the detent 27 occurs preferably after the impulse transmitting mechanism ceases to operate andthe time of this release of the detent may be varied by shift ing the position of the detent operating device with reference to the lever 50 and to the detent 27. g I

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided in combination with an impulse transmitting mechanism, operated by a motor mechanism, a signal device which determines a certain time of the starting of the impulse transmitting mechanism. This signal is set by the winding means of said motor mechanism and is reset to normal position by a motor which is also set by the winding means. The signal is, in this instance, in the form of a disk or semaphore moved away from signalling position by the winding means of the motor mechanism of the impulse transmitting mechanism, said signal being held in its set position by a detent which. is operated to release the signal,

Cir

\Vhat I claimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patient is: V

1. The combination with an impulse transmitting mechanism and: a motor for operat ing the same, of a: signal arranged to indicate the operation of the impulse transmitting mechanism and having connection with the impulse transmitting mechanism to be set away from normal position upon the operation of the impulse transmitting mechanism, and a motor for effecting the movement of the signal toward its normal position, including means controlled by the impulse transmitting mechanism for effecting the movement of the second mentioned motor to effect the movement of the signal toward its normal position.

2. The combination with an impulse transmitting mechanism, and a motor for operating the same, of a signal arranged to indicate the operation of the impulse transmitting mechanism and having connection with the impulse transmitting mechanism to be set away from normal position upon the operation of the impulse transmitting mechanism, and mechanism controlled with the impulse transmitting mechanism for effecting the return of the signal to normal position at a predetermined and variable time after the operation of the impulse transmitting mechanism.

3. The combination with an impulse transmitting mechanism and a motor for operating the same, of a winding means for the motor, a signal set in one position by the winding means, and a second motor for effecting the return of the signal to its original position, including means controlled by the impulse transmitting mechanism for effecting the operation of the second mentioned motor to cause the latter to effect the return of the signalling device to its initial position.

4. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating said impulse transmitting mechanism, a winding means for the motor, a second motor wound by the winding means, and a signal controlled by the winding means and the second motor.

5. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating said impulse transmitting mechanism, a winding means for the motor, a second motor wound by the winding means, and a signal having its movement to one position effected by the winding means and its other position effected by the second mentioned motor.

6. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating said impulse transmitting mechanism, a winding means for the motor, a second motor wound by the winding means, a signal shifted t one p i ion y the winding means, and a detent for holdi i-ig the signal in such a position operatet'l by the second motor to release the signal.

7. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting. mechanism,- a motor for operating the same, a winding shaft for the motor, aneccentrically arranged device turning with said shaft, a pivoted signal de vic having a portion engaged by the eccentrically arranged device, a detent for holding the signal device in the position in which it is shifted by said winding shaft, and a second motor wound by said winding shaft and effecting the movement of said detent to release the signal device.

8. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating the same, a winding shaft, a signal device moving to one position on the turning of the winding shaft to wind the motor, a detent for holding said signal in its shifted position, an eccentrically arranged portion turning with said winding shaft, and a second motor for effecting the movement of said detent to release the signal and having a portion arranged to be engaged by said eccentrically arranged portion to wind said second motor.

9. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating the same, a winding means for the motor, a signal set by said winding means, and a motor set by the winding means, having adjustable connection with the signal for effecting its return to normal condition, said adjustable connection permitting the time of return of the signal to normal condition to be varied.

10. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating said impulse transmitting mechanism, a winding means for the motor, a second motor wound by the winding means, a signal set to one position by the winding means in winding both motors, a detent for holding the signal in its set position, and a connection between the detent and the second motor for effecting the release of the signal, said connection being adjustable to permit the time of the release to be. varied.

11. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor for operating the same, a winding shaft for the motor, a second motor, a pivotally mounted signal, an eccentrically arranged device turning with the winding shaft and cooperating with the signal to shift the latter to one position, a detent cooperating with the signal to holdit in its shifted position, and an operating member shifted by the eccentrically arranged device for winding the second motor, said operating member having a connection with the detent for shifting the latter to release the signal, said connection being adjustable to vary'th'e time at which the release will take place.

12. An impulse transmitter comprising an impulse transmitting mechanism, a motor 5 for operating the same, a winding means for the motor, a second motor wound by the Windingmeans, a signal shifted to one position by the winding means, a detent for holding said signal in its shifted position,

and a detent operating connection between 10 the second motor and the detent adjustable tr vary th time at which the release of the signal takes place.

JOHN 'J; RUDDICK. 

